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10.26.2013

31 Days of Pure Joy: Day 26~ The Following

Excuses. We all make them. None of us WANTS to get to work. We SAY we will do this or that, but what happens? Procrastination. Distractions. Excuses.

I love this passage of Scripture that is often titled "The Call of Jeremiah":

"The word of the Lord came to me, saying,

'Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,before you were born I set you apart;I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.'

'Alas, Sovereign Lord,' I said, 'I do not know how to speak; I am too young.'"

~Jeremiah 1:4-6

"Shame on him!" we exclaim. "He's God's prophet! Just do what that clear message from God commands and get on with your life!"

But we have forgotten that he was a shepherd at that point.

In American terms, Jeremiah was a normal guy with a 9 to 5, a middle class citizen who claimed to love God.

God had just called him to be a prophet, and he made an excuse. Think about it. You have been called to deliver a message to the world too! Most people refer to our calling as "The Great Commission," but I might dub it "The Calling of Madeline."

Fill in the blank with your name. "The Calling of _____________"

"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

~Matthew 28:19-20

Yep. God wants you to share a message with the people He has placed in your daily sphere of influence: the clerk at the department store, your mailman/lady, your teacher, your boss, the people in your life.

So don't make excuses because in reality, we ARE all inadequate. We're too young, too sinful, too busy, too tired, too settled into our routines. But in our weaknesses, we have God on our side! I love the promise right after the commission: God is with us always! He is all-powerful, and we DESPERATELY need Him!

All you have to do is follow in love. God's great love on us despicable sinners is OVERWHELMING! We should overflow with His joy, sharing it with others.

So, it's up to you. God is inviting you to begin the greatest adventure of all time- living a life of pure joy! You may find yourself in any number of situations today that allow you to showcase love and joy.

Who's with me? Will you embark on this adventure? Why or why not? Please share.

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